This account of sources of ionizing radiation and methods of radiation protection describes units of radiation protection, measurement techniques, biological effects, environmental radiation and many applications. Each chapter contains problems with solutions.

This book provides a comprehensive yet accessible overview of all relevant topics in the field of radiation protection (health physics). The text is organized to introduce the reader to basic principles of radiation emission and propagation, to review current knowledge and historical aspects of the biological effects of radiation, and to cover important operational topics such as radiation shielding and dosimetry. The author’s website contains materials for instructors including PowerPoint slides for lectures and worked-out solutions to end-of-chapter exercises. The book serves as an essential handbook for practicing health physics professionals.

It is essential to minimize damage to normal tissues during radiation therapy and many strategies have been employed in finding the best methods for radioprotection. This book integrates chemical, biological, and clinical perspectives on these strategies and developments, providing a comprehensive treatise. It emphasizes new concepts in radioprotection, aiming to inspire further basic science and clinical progress in radioprotector research. Radioprotectors: Chemical, Biological, and Clinical Perspectives includes the following topics: Early research on radioprotectors WR-2721, an aminothiol prodrug, as a radioprotector New results with naturally occurring thiols Nitroxides as effective radioprotectors in vitro and in vivo Radioprotection observed with radical scavengers or antioxidants Bone marrow radioprotection with cytokines and biological modifiers Multiple mechanisms of altering radiation response by eicosanoids Vascular response to radiation and the importance of vascular damage to normal tissue Modifiers of radiation-induced apoptosis Survey of clinical trials with radioprotectors Radiation biologists and oncologists, cancer researchers, and toxicologists will benefit from the findings discussed and strategies for future research.

It is essential to minimize damage to normal tissues during radiation therapy and many strategies have been employed in finding the best methods for radioprotection. This book integrates chemical, biological, and clinical perspectives on these strategies and developments, providing a comprehensive treatise. It emphasizes new concepts in radioprotection, aiming to inspire further basic science and clinical progress in radioprotector research. Radioprotectors: Chemical, Biological, and Clinical Perspectives includes the following topics: Early research on radioprotectors WR-2721, an aminothiol prodrug, as a radioprotector New results with naturally occurring thiols Nitroxides as effective radioprotectors in vitro and in vivo Radioprotection observed with radical scavengers or antioxidants Bone marrow radioprotection with cytokines and biological modifiers Multiple mechanisms of altering radiation response by eicosanoids Vascular response to radiation and the importance of vascular damage to normal tissue Modifiers of radiation-induced apoptosis Survey of clinical trials with radioprotectors Radiation biologists and oncologists, cancer researchers, and toxicologists will benefit from the findings discussed and strategies for future research.

The highly topical problems of radioprotection will be treated in the following issues of "Experientia" by competent experts in this field. Before printing the papers have been exchanged among the authors to allow them for commenting upon the articles so that a Symposium by Correspondence on Radioprotective Means and Compounds arose. As organizers and editors of this symposium acted A. LOCKER (Vienna) and K. FLEMMING (Freiburg, Br.). Contents 9 J.D. Chapman and A.P. Reuvers: The Time-Scale of Radioprotection in Mammalian Cells 19 J. Calkins: General Patterns of DNA Repair and their possible Signif icance as Necessary Protection from Environmental Radiation Exposure 31 S. Homsey: Protection by Hypoxia and the Effect of Low Oxygen Tensions on Radiosensitivity 45 L. Revesz and B. Littbrand: Radioprotection by Radiosensitizers 53 T. Sugahara, M. Horikawa, M.H. Ikita and N. Nagata: Studies on a Sulfhydryl Radioprotector of Low Toxicity 63 J.M. Yuhas: Systemic Factors Affecting the Radioprotective Effec tiveness of Phosphorothioates 71 C. Streffer: Studies on the Mechanism of 5-Hydroxytryptamine in Radioprotection of Mammals 79 K. Flemming: Some Ideas Concerning the Mode of Action of Radio protective Agents 87 A. Locker and K. Flemming: Some General Aspects of Radioprotection (A Summary) 9 The Time-Scale of Radioprotection in Mammalian Cells J.D. Chapman* and A.P